Dear Friend — I write to you from half-way across the world from a country with a deep history, beautiful culture, and abiding dedication to the family: Moldova. I just joined with President Igor Dodon to announce that the World Congress of Families XII conference will be held in Chisinau, Moldova from September 13-16, 2018.
Moldova President Igor Dodon and I hold a press conference announcing World Congress of Families XII conference in Chisnau, Moldova September 13-16, 2018.
At the press conference, President Dodon made clear his dedication to making the World Congress of Families XII a must-attend event for leaders, delegates, and activists from around the world. President Dodon has been a stalwart in support of the natural family and spoke at the World Congress of Families conference in Tbilisi, Georgia. What a blessing that President Dodon took time out of his busy schedule to meet together and to personally join me in announcing the next World Congress of Families.
Here are some additional photos from the press conference with President Dodon.
I urge you to save these dates and come to Moldova this September where you’ll meet with pro-family leaders and WCF Partners from around the world and get to know the people and places of Moldova. It will be a trip you will never forget.
By way of example, I just returned from an amazing excursion to Cricova Wine Cellars. Housed in a labyrinthine network of limestone tunnels that were excavated for the stones that built the city of Chisinau, the wine cellar is one of the largest in the world. What an experience to be 50 meters underground, eating a Moldovan feast, in a traditionally decorated hall that could have been built in a farmhouse in the last century. These are experiences you could have nowhere else.
Bordered by Romania and Ukraine, Moldova sits strategically between East and West as a crossroads of civilizations. There has been an increasing push to undermine the family in this country, but under the leadership of President Dodon there has been a rejuvenated spirit in defense of traditional values.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
President Dodon has extended a personal invitation to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to attend, as well as a representative of Pope Francis. Patriarch Kirill has already accepted the invitation and will join us at WCF XII in Chisinau.
The World Congress of Families XII will be the premiere pro-family event in the world this year bringing together hundreds of scholars and experts to meet with thousands of activists and leaders. Putting on a conference of this magnitude is enormously difficult, requiring a substantial investment of resources. I ask you to consider making a generous financial gift to support our work.
I hope you can join with pro-family leaders from around the world in Chisinau, Moldova, September 13-16. We will be launching a website with the ability to register in the next few weeks. I will be updating you on my travels in Eastern Europe and the Caucuses over the next week.
God Bless,
Moldova Selected As Host of World Congress of Families XII (#WCF12Moldova) September 13-16, 2018
